Care Necessary in Moulting. 



169 



can easily keep out of each other's and harm's way. In a smaller flight, the number must be 

 limited, and quarrelsome members must be ejected for obvious reasons. And note that the Lizard 

 is the most pugnacious of the whole Canary family. He is the game-cock of the tribe ; and, be 

 it male or female, when a Lizard makes up its mind to quarrel it carries out its intention 

 conscientiously. 



We are going into this part of our subject at length, because the greater portion of it applies 

 also to the special management of the London Fancy, the second representative of the Distinctive 

 Plumage class, and will not have to be repeated. 



The best plan to adopt with exceptionally promising specimens is to isolate them as early as 

 possible, giving each bird as roomy a compartment as can be spared. This, of course, implies 

 plenty of cage accommodation ; but a great deal can be done in this way by extemporising very 

 simple appliances. Boxes of all sorts, shapes, and sizes can be procured at almost any grocer's, 

 these " commercial envelopes " being now got up very neatly and cheaply, much more so than 



■hi 



FIG. 53. — MOUI.llNG-CAGE. 



could be done by the amateur joiner. Nothing further is wanted in the way of wiring than to 

 stretch tightly across the front a piece of good galvanised wire netting of small mesh, and with a 

 door cut in one end — don't forget the door. Very little ingenuity will suggest the necessary 

 internal arrangements for perches, seed-hoppers, and drinking-vessels. We said isolate the best 

 specimens, but under ordinary conditions two or three will not quarrel. It is generally only 

 in larger communities that some seditious fellow disturbs the public peace ; lock him up, and 

 quiet is restored. But remember that early isolation is to prevent the possibility of such mishap 

 as might at any moment occur in case of a sudden brief disturbance. 



There is a very elegant moulting-cage in use among the London Fancy breeders, of which we 

 give an illustration in Fig. 53. It is generally made of mahogany, and is altogether a cage-maker's 

 article. A glance at the cut will show the arrangement. A glass slide, which can be withdrawn at 

 pleasure, serves the double purpose of preventing the bird from injuring its plumage by rough 

 contact with the wire front, and also admits of the bird being more or less " boxed " to hasten the 

 moult by maintaining equable warmth and freedom from draughts, while the cover on the top 

 allows of stealthy peeps to ascertain how the work is progressing without needlessly alarming the 

 bird. Inexpensive adaptations of this cage will also suggest themselves. 



The same general treatment as regards diet applies to the Lizard as to the Norwich, but the 

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